What Am I Reading Monday

I have an entire new list of books to read this week and no guilt whatsoever in reading them.

First, I've just started Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce (I really like her). Which is the second in her Beka Cooper Series... which is the fifth series set in her country of Tortall. Yes, I have read them all.

Then, once I'm done with that book I'm going to re-read Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce, because rereading a book is about as comforting as rewatching your favorite movie... except longer, and better.

(My favorite movie is Persuasion, if you were wondering.)

After I'm done with Trickster's Queen I'm going to pick up a book called Take Me Home by Brian Leung I received, free of charge, through Good Reads First Reads. I'll be doing a lovely review on it for all of you once I'm finished.

Then I'm going to go through withdrawals as I look for something else to fill my empty time with. Most likely I will growl at my children and snap at my husband and wander around with a lost look in my eyes until I find something else.

Oh, wait... I do have that pile of books I just bought from SFBC. Whew!

I'll have to tell you about them next week. :)

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Books: Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce
            Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce
            Take Me Home by Brian Leung

What I'm Reading Monday

I came across this meme this morning (between running and re-running my kids to school) and thought... 'Hey, I'm reading a book!'

So why not participate?

Alright... This weekend I was dying for a book. I think it had been a full week since I had something to cozy up to and I really needed a fix. So I did what any person in my situation would do--I begged my 9 year old to go to the library with me.

I came back with three books.
Trickster's Choice by Tamora Pierce (an old favorite of mine)
Flint by Paul Eddy (recommended by Nancy Pearl)
Troy by Adele Geras (randomly picked up because it had a nice cover)

I'm half way through Trickster's Choice. I'm enjoying every the, though, & this and when I'm finished I may or may not return the other two books and get Trickster's Queen.

::sigh:: I love reading.

What are you reading?

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Books in this post:
Trickster's Choice & Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce
Flint by Paul Eddy
Troy by Adele Geras

Friday Wishlist: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

In 2008 when the first Twilight movie was released a group of friends and I sat in my living room discussing vampires. We had just laughed our way through Robert Pattinson's portrayal of Edward Cullen and were musing over the entire genre of paranormal fiction when someone brought up the book 'The Historian.'

Half the women there shivered visibly.

"That's a good book," one woman said.

The others nodded vigorously.

I had to admit to the group that I had never even heard of the book and the entire room swore they'd bring me their copy the next day.

Two years later and I have yet to hold it.

So what is this book that everyone swore I'd love, but couldn't bring themselves to loan out?

"In 1972, a 16-year-old American living in Amsterdam finds a mysterious book in her diplomat father's library. The book is ancient, blank except for a sinister woodcut of a dragon and the word "Drakulya," but it's the letters tucked inside, dated 1930 and addressed to "My dear and unfortunate successor," that really pique her curiosity. Her widowed father, Paul, reluctantly provides pieces of a chilling story; it seems this ominous little book has a way of forcing itself on its owners, with terrifying results. Paul's former adviser at Oxford, Professor Rossi, became obsessed with researching Dracula and was convinced that he remained alive. When Rossi disappeared, Paul continued his quest with the help of another scholar, Helen, who had her own reasons for seeking the truth. As Paul relates these stories to his daughter, she secretly begins her own research." -Publishers Weekly

Simply put... it's a vampire book. A really good vampire book.

"For once, a novel that is not horror or all blood and gore, but a truely facinating and suspensful tale that kept me awake after reading only 64 pages of it. I am not faint-hearted, nor have I ever been kept awake by any books. This novel facinated me and made me want to finish it in one sitting."- Buttonsamy, Amazon Reviewer

The problem, however, is that the book only gets 3 1/2 stars and the New York Times didn't have the best things to say about it. So what's the big deal?

Everyone I've talked to swears I need to read it, but most of what I read compares it to one of my least favorite novels (DaVinci Code). I'm flummoxed.

Is this sort of like one of those movies that does great from word of mouth but all the professional reviewers hate it?

I'll admit, I'm intrigued and it is definitely going onto my library list... which means it's about 5 books down. Right after The Name of the Wind, The Way of Kings, Beka Cooper- Terrier, and Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra.

Why am I still on the computer? I have some reading to do!


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Books: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
           The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
           The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
           Beka Cooper-Terrier by Tamora Pierce
           Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra by Obert Skye

The Immortals by Tamora Pierce

One of my favorite book series' is 'The Immortals' by Tamora Pierce.

"Orphaned at 13, Daine has managed to survive on her own until she finds work with the royal horsemistress. It soon becomes clear that Daine  is special. Horses and other animals no only obey the girl, they come to her and seem to listen to her words. Though she refuses to admit that she possesses great magic Daine can't hide it for long: her unpredictable powers had once led her to run with wolves. Now she fears she will not be able to hide her secret, even after she meets powerful new friends--Alanna, the Lioness, Numair, a shape shifting sorcerer and the magic-wielding king and queen themselves."--from the inside cover

I have to admit, however, that it's really the love story that draws me repeatedly back to this book

Tamora Pierce has a real knack for delivering a good dose of love in only a few pages.

You can spend several books building up to two pages of toe tingling, heart warming giddiness. It's great and 'The Immortals' is her best delivery.

Because I don't want to give away any clues I'll edit out the guys name:

"He stood motionless, his back to her, learning on his staff. He appeared to be starting at the dead [enemy].
Frightened, the girl dragged herself to her knees, then to her feet. Upright, she swayed. "Please...are you all right?"
He turned. "You--you're alive. I thought..."
She staggered over to him. "I hurt too much to be dead."
Dropping the staff, [he] swept her up in his arms; hers went around his neck. He stroked her back; Daine buried her fingers in his hair. Pulling away, she tried to get a proper look at him. Their eyes met for breathless moment...
. . .
"I know I love you. Maybe I always have--"

I've been rereading these books just so I can get to that part... again.

I've also been trying to come up with the perfect song to go with this particular romance. I had a few that almost caught how Daine's story made me feel, but none seemed just right.

Until I heard Michael Bolton's 'Said I Loved You but I Lied.'

You know you've heard a good song when your breath catches in your chest.

"With all my soul I've tried in vain
How can mere words my heart explain
This taste of heaven so deep so true
I've found in you
So many reasons in so many ways
My life has just begun
Need you forever, I need you to stay
You are the one, you are the one

You came to me like the dawn through the night
Just shinin' like the sun
Out of my dreams and into my life
You are the one, you are the one

Said I loved you but I lied
'Cause this is more than love I feel inside
Said I loved you but I was wrong
'Cause love could never ever feel so strong
Said I loved you but I lied."

The reason I chose this song over all the others was for several reasons:

1) The potential for magic within its words. The Immortals being first and foremost a fantasy series it is important to catch the staff wielding essence within.

2) The character that she falls for she also happens to save the life of--now don't get your hopes up that I've given anything away... the books take place during a war. The words "You came to me like the dawn through the night, Just shinin' like the sun, Out of my dreams and into my life, You are the one, you are the one," seemed to capture the moment of her heroism fairly well.

3) Seriously... do the words not make you giddy? Ooh ::shiver:: I am a fool for a good love story.

What's your favorite love story? What's your favorite love song? Do you have a particular combination that you want to share with us?

Book: The Immortals Series by Tamora Pierce
Song: Said I Loved You But I Lied by Michael Bolton